What Matters Most In the End
by gaara's2kool4you
Summary: Naruto finds Sasuke in the woods, but someting is... different. SASUKE is different. and who is the little girl that with him? warning: may be yaoi in future. NOT sasuXoc... no paring decided yet. rated 'T' 2 be safe... may change to M. naruto is not mine
1. First Sight

_**CHAPTER 1: First Sight**_

Naruto stared at the sleeping man from behind the tree that was currently concealing him. There, a mere 40 feet away, lay Uchiha Sasuke.

The raven was asleep, positioned beside a fire that had weakened, but still prvided plenty of warmth. His hair was spread out behind him, his black locks probably about mid-back length. His skin was extremely pale, in an almost but not quite sickly way. His breathing was even and natural, indicating he was deeply asleep or a very good actor.

At first, Naruto vouched for the second as Sasuke suddenly flicked his wrist, sending a formerly concealed kunai towards the blonde. The fox hurriedly teleported to the branch of another tree, watching the Uchiha as the 19 year old missing nin slowly sat up, leaving the blanket in place next to him. Naruto then began to consider his first hypothesis about Sasuke being asleep as he watched the raven try to focus his eyes momentarily.

After gaining enough consciousness to function properly, Sasuke looked around. Correction, he looked _straight at Naruto._ Naruto blinked in confusion. How could Sasuke have known he was there? The blonde's chakra was completely concealed, and he had left no signs indicating he was present. _'How the hell did he know someone was here?'_

_**'Who knows what he's capable of now!'**_ Kyuubi ranted in the back of Naruto's head. **_'Have you forgotten where he's been for… one… two… six years?!'_**

_'Hey! I thought he was dead! If it weren't for his chakra signature, I'd have thought it was that snake bastard sennin!' _Naruto replied angrily. He had strictly told Kyuubi not to pipe up unless the demon fox was invited. Though the blonde soon lost interest in scolding the nine-tailed monster when he noticed the lump of blanket beside the Uchiha had begun to move. Sasuke himself turned towards the wiggling mound, but he didn't look surprised. No, Uchiha Sasuke…. _the_ Uchiha Sasuke… smiled.

It was a small smile, barely noticeable, but it became extremely obvious if you had known Sasuke for longer than a little while. The first thing you _really_ realized, after you got past the boy's stunning looks, was that his facial expression _never_ changed, the only exception being his notorious smirk. So it was fairly obvious that Uchiha Sasuke was smiling.

Naruto watched in amazement as Sasuke lowered his head down to the squirming pile of cloth and whispered something inaudible to anyone more than 2 ½ feet away. The lump stopped wriggling, and Sasuke calmly brought a pale hand (which was half-hidden by the long, black, oversized sleeve that draped off his arm) to the blanket and peeled back the edge, revealing… a small, black-haired child.

**Please proceed to da next chappie!!! And pleeze R&R!!! I need to know if this fic is worth continuing!!! -I already typed up the 2nd chappie so… yeah shrug -**

**and i know it's short, but the chaps will get longer... no worries**

**-g2k4y**


	2. Surprise, Surprise

Last time: Sasuke calmly brought a pale hand (which was half-hidden by the long, black, oversized sleeve that draped off his arm) to the blanket and peeled back the edge, revealing… a small, black-haired child

_**CHAPTER 2: Surprise, Surprise! **_

Naruto watched as Sasuke brushed black bangs from the child's forehead, hand gentle and caring. Naruto knew that wasn't true. Sasuke was and always had been a cold and heartless bastard. He was also a stubborn jackass, so no one could change the fact that he was a cold and heartless bastard.

Currently, the Uchiha was fishing something out of a small pack, producing a canteen of water and two apples. Handing the canister of liquid to the child, who Naruto figured was a girl around four or five, Sasuke took out a kunai and cut one of the apples in half.

For a moment, Naruto thought his former teammate had forgotten someone was there. That is, until he saw the black-haired boy's eyes dart around the camp.

The young child finished drinking and handed the canteen to Sasuke, who, in return, handed her half of the apple he had sliced apart. The little girl soon finished the piece, so Sasuke handed her the second section, cutting the other apple in half and taking a small bite out of the smaller slice himself. He soon handed the child the fourth and last piece of the two apples, the girl seemingly starving.

Naruto sat still for a few moments, watching as the girl's eyelids started to close. Sasuke smiled (again! Oh my god, a record!!! JK) and covered the child with the blanket once more as she fell asleep. After a few silent and still minutes, Sasuke turned back to Naruto.

"I know you're there. It'd make everything easier if you'd just come out," the raven called. Irritation was clearly evident in his voice. Naruto calmed his nerves for a few seconds before stepping out into the faint sunlight. A flicker of surprise showed in Sasuke's eyes, but disappeared in a flash. Naruto slowly made his way towards the fire, stopping ten feet away.

"Sasuke," Naruto said in a sort of greeting. Sasuke nodded. Naruto couldn't help but notice the protective hand the Uchiha kept on the small child where the girl's shoulder showed through the blanket. "So, it's really you." More of a statement than a question. Sasuke nodded again, dark eyes watching Naruto's every breath. Naruto glanced t the sleeping child. "Who's that, one of Orochimaru's experiments?" he asked sourly. Sasuke frowned.

"No, she is _not_ one of that snake's experiments," the dark-haired missing nin snapped. Naruto raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here, Naruto? You should leave."

"Why? I'm here to take you back to Konoha, whether you like it or not," the kitsune informed him. Informed him a little to loudly. The child stirred, lifting her head up and looking around. After seeing Naruto, the child moved, somewhat hurriedly, closer to the Uchiha. Sasuke immediately turned to her, wrapping his thin yet muscular arms around her small form.

"Otou-san, who is he?" her voice squeaked. Naruto's eyes widened in shock. _'Otou-san?'_

_**So, how was it??? R&R pleeze!!!!!!!!!!**_

**_this one is short too, but THE CHAPPIES WILL GET LONGER!!!_**

_**-g2k4y**_


	3. Only an Answer

-1Last Time: "Otou-san, who is he?" her voice squeaked. Naruto's eyes widened in shock. _'Otou-san?'_

"Otou-san?" the young girl asked again. Sasuke smiled softly at her.

"It's alright. He won't hurt you," the onyx-eyed shin obi told her. Naruto's eyes narrowed.

"Who is she? You didn't answer me, teme. And why is she calling you 'Otou-san'?" the cerulean-eyed ninja questioned. Sasuke shot him a look, dark eyes clearly telling him to shut up. Naruto did so. _Why_ he did, that reason was beyond him.

"Go back to sleep. I'm just going to speak with him. His name is D-… Naruto," Sasuke continued. The little girl nodded, but before she fell asleep, she looked up at the Uchiha.

"My stomach hurts! Isn't there anything to eat? You must be hungry yourself," she said to him. Sasuke sighed, looking a bit sad.

"I'm sorry, we don't have anything else. We have to wait until we get to--" Sasuke stopped speaking when a medium-sized thermos was pushed towards him. He looked to the blonde.

Naruto held the thermos out in front of him, attempting to give it to his former teammate. "Here, you may have this. It's ramen. I don't need it since I'm going back to the village in only a few hours. It isn't as hot as it was, but it's still good," he said, smiling at the child. Sasuke eyed the thermos warily, but decided giving his charge ramen was a lot better than seeing her starve (a/n: JK. He's wary of poison, but he realized Naruto himself would have eaten it if he hadn't offered it, so there wasn't much to worry about, besides the lack of nutrition XD). He gently took the container from Naruto's hands, opening it and handing it to the child. Naruto pulled some chopsticks out of his bag and handed them over to Sasuke, who passed them to the small girl.

Both men watched silently as the young child devoured the lukewarm noodles, then sipped the broth, before she lowered herself down onto the blanket, her raven-haired head resting on Sasuke's leg.

"So, who is she? Why are you so close to the border of Konoha? " Naruto asked. Sasuke motioned for him to sit down by the fire, which he rebuilt by setting a few sticks into the small flames and blowing a small stream of fire from his mouth to the kindling. Naruto did as asked, again not knowing why he listened to that… that traitor. He sat down opposite of Sasuke, on the other side of the fire, so he could make eye contact.

"We escaped from Orochimaru. I burned his fortress to the ground." Naruto looked surprised. Sasuke scowled, looking evil and possessed through the dancing flames. "Do not ask why, because I will not tell you my reasons, besides the fact that the man wasn't what everyone believed he was."

"What about the kid? I see you've got her calling you 'Otou-san'. Is that so your enemies will be all: 'Oh, he's got a daughter! If we kill him, she won't have a daddy!'?" Sasuke deepened his scowl, then allowed all emotions to slip from his face.

"Her name is Keiko."

"Beloved, huh? Who loves her so much to give her such a name?"

"I do _not_ keep he around for my own protection. _I'm_ the one who cares for her. The one who loves her. _I_, as in me," Sasuke said, motioning to himself. "She calls me 'Otou-san' because I _am._ I _am_ her father."

**a/n: please proceed to chappie 4! **


	4. Just Talking

-1Last time: "I do _not_ keep he around for my own protection. _I'm_ the one who cares for her. The one who loves her. _I_, as in me," Sasuke said, motioning to himself. "She calls me 'Otou-san' because I _am._ I _am_ her father."

"_You_? _You're_ her father?" Naruto couldn't believe it. Sasuke had a daughter. Sasuke was only frickin' 19 years old! _'What the hell???!!!_

"Yes, she is my daughter. And if you do anything to hurt her in any way, I will kill you without a second thought!"

"God, calm down. I get it!" Momentary pause. "How old is she?"

"She just turned four. Almost a month ago, just after we escaped from Orochimaru," Sasuke answered, smiling at the sleeping girl next to him.

_'No wonder he was smiling at her earlier. A daughter? She… must be really precious to him, like Konohamaru is to me,' _Naruto realized. He watched silently and Sasuke looked out towards the trees and absently fingered Keiko's raven-colored locks.

"So, what are you doing near Konoha?"

"Passing by, maybe going to the Hidden Cloud Village (a/n: anyone know the ancient name for it??? Y'know, like Konoha or Suna??). Kimimaro said he was heading up there. Just trying to avoid other ninja and troublesome things like that," the Uchiha answered.

"You know, we would all really appreciate it if you came back t Konoha," Naruto piped up. Sasuke looked at him in surprise.

"But I'm a traitor. I don't really care if _I_ am hated, but I don't want Keiko exposed to that treatment. She's had a hard life already," the teen told him. Naruto smiled. Sasuke was… different. Not so… uncaring.

"The village _wants _you back, Sasuke." Again, a shocked look. "For one, they think it'd be better to have you on their side, after hearing about everything that you've done. You took out a whole village about a year ago. No one at Konoha has that kind of strength. Not even me, and I'm the best ninja in the entire Fire Country!" Naruto exclaimed. Sasuke looked away.

"I am not proud of the things I've done, Naruto…"

"But the way the village sees it, you took out one of the village's that we were having… conflicts with. And two, Tsunade told them that the curse mark that bastard put on you was affecting your ability to think for yourself, causing you to play into his arms. It's all fine, Sasuke. I have people coming up to me, all the time, asking for me to hurry up and bring you back." Naruto grinned triumphantly. He seemed to have warmed up to the… _new_… Sasuke.

"I'll come back, but only if Keiko is treated as a citizen. One who is perfectly ordinary and is treated as if she has lived in the village her entire life." Sasuke was staring into the fire now. Naruto smiled softly. The Uchiha really cared, didn't he?

"Of course, Sasuke. Besides, your girl is… as Sakura would say, _adorable._ I'd say… I'd just say whatever Sakura said." Sasuke looked up and smiled a small, kind smile.

"Her… her middle name is Sakura. I needed a name, one that meant something to me, and _Naruto _is a boy's name, so that was ruled out. So I decided to give her the name Sakura." Naruto grinned from ear to ear.

"You know, that might just save you from being whaled on when you get back to the village. Sakura is… totally a vicious demon! I swear there is some sort of steroid in that sake she and the hag drink!" Naruto cried.

"Be quiet. I don't want Keiko waking up. We've been traveling for a while now, and this is the first real break we've taken in weeks." Naruto nodded.

"Hey, Sasuke, you get some sleep. I can watch for you. You look lie you kinda need it!" Sasuke glared for a moment, then agreed silently and laid down next to the sleeping child. Naruto smiled, then took out one f the magazines Jiraiya had lent him, flipping to the page with the bathing suit models.

_**a/n: so, how was it? Still really short i ussually type chaps (on other stories i have on my comp) 2,000+ words, but I'm working on it. It's just hard to concentrate because I have my CST testing next week (biting nails) yeah… I'm still in mid-school, though moving to HS next year! yay me! (rolls eyes)**_

_**R&R pwease!!!**_


	5. Change

-1Last time: "Hey, Sasuke, you get some sleep. I can watch for you. You look lie you kinda need it!" Sasuke glared for a moment, then agreed silently and laid down next to the sleeping child. Naruto smiled, then took out one f the magazines Jiraiya had lent him, flipping to the page with the bathing suit models. 

"So, Sasuke-teme, what are you going to do now? I mean, you're not at Orochimaru's anymore. Will you still train to kill your brother?" Naruto asked, walking beside his friend. Sasuke was silent for a moment, taking the time to switch a sleeping Keiko onto his other hip, gripping her waist to keep her from falling. The small child (a/n Keiko is small for her age) moved slightly, unconsciously making herself comfortable in the new position. Finally, the Uchiha spoke.

"I'm not out for vengeance anymore."

"Oh, you're-- say what?!?!?!" Naruto couldn't believe his ears. Sasuke gave him a small, lazy smile, but remained silent. "What do you mean? That was your life! I mean, I'm not saying I doubt your choice, and I definitely wasn't happy when you left, and I've never really liked the whole 'I must avenge my clan by killing the only family I have left' thing, but to suddenly--"

"Keiko." Naruto blinked. "Keiko is my life. Anything I do, I do it for her." Sasuke had a soft smile on his face, along with a faint, content expression. "I wouldn't have the ability to bear it if she was taken away from me. I refuse to lose anyone else."

Naruto looked at the path in front of him. "Is having a child a burden?" the blonde whispered. His comrade looked at him, a surprised expression on his pretty face. After a second, the man smiled (again) at his old teammate.

"Everyone has their own opinion, but me? I think… I think having a child… well… let's just say Keiko's the best thing… the best person… that has ever happened to me. Burden? She's far from it. Although she does get heavy when she's asleep. She's perfectly light when she's awake, but when she's sleeping, it's like a seven-year-old's dead weight."

Naruto laughed. "Want me to take her for a little while?" Sasuke thought about it, pondering the safety of his daughter, the motioned for blue-eyed 19 year old to take the sleeping child, flexing his right arm when the weight was gone. Naruto noticed the flicker of pain that flashed across the man's face for a millisecond. "Are you alright?"

"Just an old injury."

"Oh, okay." They traveled in silence until they reached the edge of the forest. Sasuke looked at the hill in front of them.

"Konoha's just over that hill, huh?" he said quietly, a disbelieving tone in his voice. Naruto grinned.

"Can hardly wait, huh teme? I betcha Keiko's gonna love it there!" Upon hearing her name, the girl blinked open eyes identical to her father's obsidian orbs, trying to focus on her surroundings.

"Otou-san?" she called out, struggling in the unfamiliar arms. Sasuke quickly took her from Naruto, reassuring her by something whispering in her ear. The child then smiled and asked to be let down to walk on her own. Sasuke let her slide to the earthy floor, her small sandals making a _tak_ sound when they landed.

Keiko grinned up at her father, slipping her tiny fingers into his pale hand. "Are we almost there?" Sasuke nodded, smiling. Naruto was surprised at the child's advancement in pronunciation and grammar. Oh well, that must be the norm for an Uchiha.

"Okay, we'll walk another mile, then stop for lunch once we reach the river," Naruto informed his friend. "Unless you want to wait until we get to the village. We could stop at Ichiraku's! Keiko could find out what ramen tastes--"

"We'll stop when we reach the river."

"What? But, Saaasssuuukkkeee-teeeemmmmeeee!!!"

"We'll stop."

"Fine," the blonde grumbled, pouting cutely but unable to win the Uchiha's pity, although he did get a giggle from the four-year-old.

The small group walked in silence, stopping to eat along the shore of the river, Keiko taking the time to splash in thee clearest water she had ever seen. Sasuke called her over to eat (much to her delight) after a few moments.

"Why does she like food so much?" the kitsune asked, watching the child scarf down the fish they had caught and cooked over a fire. Sasuke looked at his daughter, watching her eat hungrily, then turned to Naruto.

"In Oto, food was _present_, but it wasn't always healthy. I kept her away from things that were bad for her, giving her the healthy portions of both our meals. I could go for a while without eating, and could last on unhealthy portions as well. On missions, I'd take the food from my enemies, eating a little bit of it and keeping the rest for Keiko. It was a little tough, but we came through, right?" Sasuke told him. Naruto frowned. "I'm okay, honest." The dark-haired boy smiled kindly at the blonde. Though, for an odd reason Naruto couldn't understand, he felt a pang of sorrow in his chest.

Sasuke turned back to watch his girl. She was moving on to her second fish. "Hey, slow down, aijou**(1)**," he reprimanded, lowering the chopsticks from her mouth with his pale fingers. "I don't need a choking baby on our hands," he teased. Keiko swallowed her bite then put her hands on her hips like an American valley girl.

"I'm not a baby!" Sasuke laughed softly.

"But you _are_ four years old and you still don't even measure up to my waist. Looks to me like you're a chibi."

"Am not!" Sasuke laughed again, then proceeded to tap the girl's nose, receiving a giggle.

"You laugh like one too!" Keiko's eyes widened, and then she slapped her hands over her mouth.

"Ahhh nooohh," she mumbled through her fingers. Sasuke laughed a third time, then toof a bite out of his own fish. Keiko grinned. Naruto watched in fascination as she slowly crept towards her father. Just as she was about t launch herself on the man, Sasuke turned and tackled her (gently, so as not to hurt her), causing her to scream with laughter. Naruto laughed as Sasuke tickled the child until she had tears streaming down her face. Sasuke laughed, then moved away. Keiko sat up, holding her sides while she aughed a bit longer. Then she looked up at the Uchiha, smiling widely. Sasuke shook his head, smile gracing his lips, and tapped her on the nose affectionately.

Naruto watched the two silently. Sasuke looked so happy, in a lazy. Gentle ind of way. He was so diferent fom what he used to be.

_**'Well, of course he is, kit. It's been six years. **__**You've**__** changed and you know it. You can't expect **__**him**__** to stay the same, can you?' **_Kyuubi reprimanded. Naruto inwardly shrugged.

_'At least I'm taller than him now!' _Naruto exclaimed silently to his demon. Kyuubi chuckled lowly.

_**'Maybe you **__**haven't **__**changed much, after all!'**_

****

a/n: ok, people. sorry for making ya'll wait 2-3 days (even tho that ain't that long) for an update, but here's the next chappie!!! told you all they're gettin' longer!

challenge: anyone want to try to draw Keiko? i'll write a oneshot off of any plot they want, any pairing, but i can't write smut. sorry. so, anyone up to it? i'd sketch her myself, but my artistic side hasn't been functioning for the past few weeks. i think i'm trying to hard, but oh well.

you can send me the pic by emiling it to me : or i'm off to begin the next chappie while listening to 'Hello' by Evanescence

have a nice day!


	6. apology

Okay people. I'm sorry for not updating in half of forever, but I've been having family problems lately. there was a death in the family as well as legal relations and parental arguments. 

Anyways, you can expect an update in... maybe a week??? depends on how much schoolwork I have.

Well, Ja Ne, minna-san!!!

-g2k4y

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